The Academy Playhouse in Orleans is taking the scenic route with their thoughtful, mature production of Driving Miss Daisy.

This trip down memory lane features tender views of aging, prejudice and cultural shifts as it gently navigates the twists and turns of 25 years of events – all in an hour and 20 minutes. Strong performances help to sell this sweet story and take the audience along for a heartwarming ride.

Langhorne has a rich, resonant voice that easily carries though the theater without strain, and his presence fills the stage. While Daisy at first refuses to allow Hoke to drive her, she eventually softens and the relationship slowly takes off on its incremental journey towards acceptance, understanding and friendship, with pit stops and backfires along the way.

Most audiences will recognize the story from the 1989 Academy Award-winning film starring Jessica Tandy and Morgan Freeman, with Tandy earning the Oscar for Best Actress as well as the distinction of being the oldest actress to ever heft that award. The film was also the last PG film to win Best Picture. Whether compared to the film or not, Alfred Uhry’s script is a remarkably spare sketch that borders on biting off more than it can effectively chew. Uhry provides only minimal details of his three characters’ lives, just enough to carry the action and allow the dialogue to make sense.

Few side roads are taken, and sometimes the main road simply disappears in the fog. Did Hoke ever find the gravestone knowing only the first and last letters of the name? Does Daisy teach him to read? Did anyone Daisy knew die in that synagogue bombing? Did the pair ever make it to Alabama? What happened when Hoke walked away from the car and Daisy sat in the dark listening to the peepers and calling his name? Why has she been moved to the nursing home in the very next scene?

Adapting the script for film allowed Uhry to flesh out his characters and fill out his scenes.

Although it is hard to believe the austere nature of the play’s script is entirely intentional, it does have benefits. The audience is forced to let go of the details and simply enjoy the familiar cadence of Daisy and Hoke’s interactions. It effectively spotlights their relationship without distraction. This pared-down approach to what could be a long and complex tale also provides the space for audiences to reflect more deeply on the play’s themes and how they relate to their own lives.

The actors’ performances and their combined chemistry either make or break this show. At the Academy Playhouse, McPherson and Langhorne make something lovely together.

Alfred Uhry’s Driving Miss Daisy, directed by Peter Milsky, Thursday through Saturday at 8 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m. through Feb. 9 at the Academy Playhouse, 120 Main Street, Orleans, MA 02653. Tickets are $20 and can be reserved by calling 508-255-1963